More and more people today enjoy the simple, wholesome fun of hiking. Hiking is an affordable, yet healthy and emotionally rewarding way to spend a vacation or a long weekend – and you don’t need to visit a travel agent.
Experienced hikers will always tell you that every detail matters when you pack hiking gear, especially tents and camping stoves. The right hiking gear and clothing, a properly and ergonomically packed backpack, positive mood and good fitness – all these elements play an equally important role in the success of any hiking trip.
Hiking boots are the most important part of your hiking gear. The right footwear will serve you longer and take you farther and safer than any training shoes or sneakers will. You can wear a cheaper pair of pants or an old t-shirt, but a good reliable pair of hiking shoes or boots should be as expensive as you can afford.
Many people consider their jackets as another important clothing item for a hiker, especially in the colder periods of the year. A hiking jacket can be a true lifesaver if you choose well. A Gore-Tex top layer will shield you from cold, wet, and windy weather. Many hiking jacket manufacturers use a layering approach in their jackets, so that an outer shell layer becomes not insulation, but goes over insulating clothing. Underneath a Gore-Tex layer your can wear a lightweight and even trendy fleece jacket, which you can use in warmer months and for other sporting activities too.
Hiking tents are a must if you plan to camp in mountain regions in all three hiking seasons - spring, summer, and fall. Hiking tents can be used for protection from storms, winds, small animals and insects. Along with a tent pack a sleeping bag and an insulating ground pad which also brings warmth as well as ironing out bumpy ground.
A lightweight, dependable backpacking stove is much easier to use than campfires which are often prohibited in certain areas. A camping stove manufactured by such trustworthy brands as Primus and Coleman are basically a fuel container and a fire faucet with burner grates. These grates can collapse for compact storage. More expensive models even have electronic ignition so you won’t need matches or lighter. Although it is always a good idea to pack matches anyway in case of ignition failure. Another version of a camping stove is a storm cooker which basically consists of a spirit burner with windshield and handle and a pot or pan for cooking. These stoves are lightweight because you don’t need a propane container, but are sufficient for one or two people only.
The newest models of camping stoves are environmentally friendly, odor-free, and very accommodating. To cook and eat take a pot, spoon, and a cup. To start the camping stove, if you don’t have an ignition feature, lighters are more reliable than matches. Take more fuel than you initially planned – camping stoves “eat” more fuel in cold weather.
To fully enjoy your hiking trip you must prepare beforehand. Even a small mistake in selecting your hiking equipment may result in an injury or at the least in discomfort and a negative experience. Check and fire up your camping stove while still at home and double check your hiking gear and equipment using a hiking checklist before you head out.
| ©2005 Kathryn Whittaker. All rights reserved. |
Why the heck would I want to go camping in New Jersey?
I get asked that question just about every single day and I'm pretty tired of it after all these years. So I'm going to answer that question right here for the last time.
There are literally hundreds of reasons to go camping in New Jersey, but there is one large, and I mean really large, reason:
Where else in the country can you drive less then 3 hours and go from the mountains, to the shore, to the marshlands, to 3 different major metropolitan areas to several major
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It's the time of year to beat the heat and head for higher elevation. For many people that means loading up the RV, grabbing the boat and finding a campground by the lake. My idea for the perfect getaway means loading the truck with our camping gear and our two Labrador Retrievers and getting as far away from the pavement as we can get. While these two styles are quite different, they are both perfect. Let's take a look at what makes a campsite perfect for me-and perhaps for you.
To start with, there are two general types of campsites, the
first being established campsites. These campgrounds
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Christmas gift ideas can be hard to come by. If you’re buying for a backpacker, here are a few unique backpacking gift ideas.
Okay, I’ll be the first one to admit publicly that buying gifts for the holidays can be a pain in derriere. When it comes right down to it, who knows if a gift will be a hit or a dud. If you’re shopping for a backpacking enthusiast, your task is going to be much easier.
Despite the relative simplicity of backpacking, there are lots of items you can give as gifts to backpackers. Here
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Hiking is one of life's great joys. Fresh air, nature, exercise and good friends. It's difficult to imagine anything better - if you're prepared. When you're not prepared properly, it's difficult to imagine anything worse. If you hike a few hundred yards around your neighborhood or a few hundred miles around the backcountry, use these tips to get the most enjoyment out of your hiking experience.
Camping for most people means a tent and sleeping on a mat on the ground. If that doesn't really appeal to you, then camping in an RV is what you need. It is the ultimate camping adventure.
RV's come in many sizes and shapes. They start with campers that fit in the back of a pickup truck. These can have full kitchens, beds, a shower and toilet in them.
Next there are van conversions called Class B motorhomes that are basically a cargo van converted into a camping vehicle. These can have a raised roof for more head room. They
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